When love gets a little lost (discontinued)
by TrickyTrixx
Summary: For three years they have pined for one another, never knowing that the one they loved was within reach, just lost behind a mask. Adrien cannot let go of his Lady and Marinnete still pines for her model friend. When both realize it might be time for them to move on, they find comfort in each other about...each other. MariChat Explicit content (Discontinued)
1. A normal life

**A/N:** This is my first foray into the world of writing Miraculous fiction. I am not a new writer by any means but I have not been active in this fandom before. Honestly the show, while interesting, failed to capture my attention in the beginning. It wasn't until a friend linked me to a MLB&CN story he wrote that it caught my eye. Now, after having binged the whole series and devouring dozens of stories, I couldn't resist plotting my own.

I started their adventure at age 15 so they are in Lycee instead of college.

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Miraculous. Or the characters. Or Paris.

 ***UPDATE 4/9/19 - The fic has been edited to be more streamlined and to clear up some issues I was seeing with my character development. Please start back at the first chapter and reread the story as a few details have changed. Hope you enjoy the newer version as much as the older one.***

* * *

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

The swarm of colorful ladybugs moved throughout Paris healing the city and it's inhabitants. Cars that had been totaled were reverted back to their original state, a storefront that had been smashed apart suddenly was back to normal, and several people with grave injuries were able to stand once more under their own power.

While a relief to those it had helped, the whole experience seemed rather underwhelming to the majority of the population. A few tourists that had been visiting were certainly shocked by what had been a relatively peaceful afternoon being suddenly turned into a very battle for their lives, but for most it was just another day in the city of love. Too often had those ladybugs been seen flitting about, taking destruction and erasing it from the world, to be altogether surprising anymore.

Ladybug glanced around cheerfully, surveying the repairs with hands on her hips. One who did not know her very well would think it was an expression of pride on her young face, but those who in fact _did_ know her would say that she was not the boastful sort and that her expression really was one of just being happy that everything had worked out well in the end.

"Ow ow ow ow ow."

Ladybug's joyful smile slipped into a well-practiced smirk, her eyes rolling in amusement at the antics of her partner in black, this time with red and orange streaks. "You know, Chaton, the drama only works after the battle if nothing was fixed. Plus if you remember we added a bit of _fire_ power of our own?" She turned to give him a smug look, watching the black cat make his way towards her, one hand still gently rubbing his shoulder.

"I'll have you know, Milady, that power-up is fire- _resistant_ , not fire- _proof._ And just having it heal instantaneously doesn't remove the memory of the pain. And that _hurt._ "

"Aww," she simpered. "Poor kitty. You know, I thought cats were only afraid of water," she quipped with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

"Fire, Bugaboo. We're also afraid of fire. And that was some seriously _big_ flames that guy was putting out." The two heroes looked over at the former akumatized victim who was steadily getting to his feet with the help of a pair of first responders. Thankfully no one had been seriously injured as they knew that tended to weigh heavily on those who ended up becoming pawns of Hawkmoth.

"I'm concerned though that Hawkmoth seems to be stepping up his game lately." Ladybug wasn't surprised to hear those words tumble from her partner's mouth. It had been on her mind a lot as well. "I mean bubbles and copycats and that weird time we were all turned into pink gummy ladies was horrendous enough, but now we are dealing with potential fatalities every few weeks."

"Well, even as much as I hate to say it, it makes sense. He's been throwing Akumas at us for three years now but they've always been emotional temper tantrums for the most part. Some of the last few have been people trying to cope with a traumatic experience."

The two looked over at the Akuma victim again. The middle-aged man had come home from a business trip to find a couple of teenagers had broken into his house and, whether intentionally or accidentally, had started a small fire that quickly engulfed the home. No one had been hurt but the man had suddenly found himself homeless and Hawkmoth had wasted little time turning that to his advantage. The flames the man had been able to conjure and control were far more dangerous than most of their past fights.

A shrill beeping sound next to Ladybug's ear told her that she was due to change back. "Gotta go, Kitty." She gave him a smile before quickly snagging a nearby tower with her yo-yo and swinging up out of sight.

Spared having to use his Cataclysm after their third transformation, Chat Noir was content to watch as the victim received medical care for a few minutes before they whisked him off to the hospital. At that point the officers who had been keeping the press back were forced to move onto the more pressing matters of handling the crime scene investigation and Chat suddenly found himself swarmed by microphones being shoved in his face and tv cameras aimed directly at him.

"Chat Noir! Any comment on the uptick in Akuma attacks-"

"-do you feel enough is being done to catch Hawk-"

"-with the recent devastation hitting Paris what do you and Ladybug have to say about-"

"Chat! Boxers or briefs!"

With all of the questions being thrown his way all at once he was almost certain that last one he had imagined. However, when the rest of the reporters around him were stunned into silence he realized he wasn't hearing things and in fact one of the strangest questions he had ever been asked was just uttered by a reporter.

The reporter in question blushed hard when Chat Noir fixed her with a half-lidded stare. She was young, he noted. Around twenty years old, short but not overly so, and had her blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. He thought he recognized her as a blogger that had been following them around recently and decided that he might as well answer _one_ question that day.

With an amused smirk, Chat pushed forward until he was directly in front of her cell phone she had been using to film the event and was now currently being used to record his unofficial 'press conference.'

"Well I suppose I can give Paris a slight glimpse into the more _private_ aspects of Chat Noir," he earned an even heavier flush of the young blogger's cheeks at the intentional innuendo. "The suit is one-piece and magical so I have no idea what is going on down there. However, when I'm not behind the mask I always go commando."

Giving a wink towards the crowd and especially the now flustered ladies in the group, Chat dug his baton into the street pavement and launched himself up onto the nearest rooftop. Before the cameras could even begin to follow, he was gone.

* * *

Sneaking back into class had not been the easiest thing in the world as most of the 'Akuma Safety Procedures' had been increased as time went on. During the duo's second year at Lycée the city had instituted a mandatory lockdown on government buildings and schools if an attack was deemed a level three or higher. It made for a safer Paris for the citizens though it made it much harder for the two teenage heroes to slip back into their school before their absence was noted.

Chat Noir, ever the sly feline that he was, crept back into the building through the lower basement window. It had been a favorite spot of his to transform in and out of as the hallway at the top of the stairs had no cameras and, in the three years he had been at the school, he had never once ran into a staff member. The lock was easy enough to pick and it allowed him to slip right back in with no one being the wiser.

"Plagg, Claws In." A bight flash of light illuminated the dusty basement for a moment before it was once again plunged into darkness. As his superhero alter-ego, Chat had the advantage of seeing in the dark so avoiding any boxes or shelving was easy. Once the powers had dropped however he was back to having to rely on his memorization of the room in order to reach the stairs.

"Next time how about we don't get so close to the fire?" His impish kwami floated in front of him though he was less mischievous and more of a grump at that moment.

"Aw, what's wrong, Plagg? I thought cats like us enjoyed a nice cozy fire."

The black kwami huffed in irritation and stroked his tail as if he was afraid it was going to shrivel up and fall off. "Do you see me sitting at a campfire with a stick and a wheel of camembert making s'mores? There's a big difference between us being cozy and us burning to death."

"Eh, your power-up gave us more than enough protection but yeah, let's not do that again anytime soon."

"I'll say," his kwami irritably muttered. "I'm totally drained. Those extra transformations really take it out of me. You have any cheese?" Adrien rolled his eyes before climbing up the stairway.

"I have some brie in my locker. You'll need to wait until we get home after class if you want camembert." Plagg grumbled but chose not to say anything more.

Adrien reached the top of the stairs and gripped the doorknob that would take him into the lower hallway. Cracking the door open as much as he dared, the blond teenager snuck a peek to see if the coast was clear. Thankfully it was and he managed to slip out unseen. Adopting a casual stride, Adrien reached the courtyard to see most of his fellow classmates ditching their trash from lunch and making their way towards the classrooms.

 _'Damn. That was only long enough to miss lunch?'_ It certainly had seemed longer to him but he wasn't about to complain. He may not have had a chance to eat and his stomach would not be happy with him later, but at least he could make the excuse that he had to run home for break. With his strict diet and even stricter father, no one would think twice about it.

Adrien slipped in behind Juleka and Rose on the nearby stairwell on their way to their next class. He wanted to sigh in happiness at the idea of complex math equations after the workout he just had. Being Chat Noir was a way to embrace his other side, but after dodging fireballs nonstop had worn him down to where being Adrien Agreste wasn't such a bad thing.

Around him many students were discussing what had just gone down a few miles from school. The frequency of Hawk Moth's attacks had dropped but the severity was on the rise leading many to become as alarmed as they had been during the first time an Akuma had appeared.

Unsurprisingly Nino, who was directly beside him, was busy having an animated conversation with Alya. Judging by how cross he was being with his girlfriend and how gleeful her expression was as her fingers danced on her phone's touchscreen, Adrien was sure that the Ladyblog would be getting a firsthand account of the battle along with a rather close-up video. It never failed to amaze him how Alya managed to slip out of the school during lockdown, traverse half the city, get her scoop while avoiding injuries and certain death and _still_ make it back to the school and into class before her super-powered friend.

Choosing to get all of his things ready for the next class rather than interrupt his two friends, Adrien leaned down to open his backpack before jolting upright at the loud sound and sight of Marinette Dupain-Cheng stumbling through the doorway.

* * *

Marinette had arrived back at the school a minute or two after her partner had, though obviously neither of them knowing. She had a lot easier time of it however. The spotted super-heroine had made her own way back into the school via the roof. It was the easiest and quickest method she knew of and it had served her well for the past few years. It required a bit of Ladybug strength to get the door on the roof open in the beginning as it was meant to be locked at all times, but she had taken a bit of inspiration from her partner shortly after finding the entrance and _borrowed_ the janitor's keys to have a copy made. Since then she was able to come and go as she pleased to transform and fight for Paris.

Noticing that the school's courtyard was nearly devoid of her classmates, Marinette scrambled to get to her classroom, worried that she was already late. She had been worried she hadn't gotten back early enough, though she was shocked to find out how quickly their fight that morning had gone.

' _Perhaps not quick enough. Maybe I can work out some plans to minimize the time each battle takes. Kind of like plotting out a game of chess. Plan ten moves ahead. That sounds like a good idea…except I'm no good at chess!'_

Thinking to herself Marinette barely noticed where she had been rushing to. With the sudden introduction of the door frame directly in front of her eyes, the young girl narrowly prevented herself from crashing into the wood but could not reverse the stumble.

Hoping that nobody bothered to notice her latest blunder, Marinette straightened in time to see several pairs of eyes looking her way before shaking their heads in amused recognition before continuing on with whatever they had been doing before, most of them being engaged in conversations. However she couldn't fail to miss the one pair she loved to see looking her way and also the one she loathed looking her way when she was being her clumsy self.

Flashing Adrien an embarrassed smile, she tried to quickly move past and up the stairs only to trip on one of the first steps. Slamming her eyes shut and bracing herself for what was sure to be a spectacular bruise, she waited for the impact. It never came. Instead, she found herself wrapped in two bands of steel.

 _'Incredibly soft and toned steel.'_ She breathed in by instinct and sighed pleasantly. _'Steel bands that smell of a wonderful cologne. Wait…Cologne?'_ Marinette's eyes snapped open to see those heavenly green eyes she had just been staring at now directly in front of her. She blushed heavily before realizing what the two 'bands of steel' actually were.

"AH! Sorry, sorry!" Scrambling out of Adrien's grasp she stood up quickly. When Adrien didn't let go right away, she felt her face burn and knew she must be sporting an impressive blush. "Th-thank you, Adrien."

Adrien smiled broadly. "You're very welcome, Mari." Holding onto her for another few seconds, he finally took pity and let his arm drop from her waist. Giving her a sly wink, Adrien turned back towards Nino who had ended his conversation with Alya and now was waiting for a chance to talk with his friend.

Marinette took the opportunity to slip away and slide into her seat directly behind the blonde. She wanted to simply remember the smile he sent her way and the feel of his arms around her for a few minutes, but her friend next to her wasn't having any of it.

"Girl, it's been three years," Alya whispered to her, leaning over slightly to make sure her comments were kept to just the two of them. "Don't you think you should either work up the courage to ask him out or maybe it's time to move on?"

"Shhh!" Marinette spared a glance towards the blonde in front of her, noting with relief he seemed to be talking animatedly with Nino, discussing their weekend plans. "I'm going to. I just need the right moment."

Alya rolled her eyes. The 'right moment' her friend had been waiting for turned into three years of indecision. Marinette had always argued that he just made her nervous, but after a year of constantly beating around the bush she had finally managed to relax around the teen model, at least enough where she could hold a decent conversation with him. Now her reasoning was that as they had become really good friends she didn't want to ruin that friendship if he didn't feel the same. And that was one thing Alya couldn't argue with.

While she and Nino certainly noticed the chemistry between the two, Adrien seemed to be completely oblivious. Eventually they had given up on trying to get the two of them on the same page and simply let Adrien continue to be clueless while Marinette seemed too stubborn to stop pining away over him.

To her credit Marinette had in fact tried to let the other boy go over the years. She had dated several guys including Juleka's brother, Luka as well as entertaining Nathaniel's crush on her to try and see if there might be something there. But after several dates with each of them all with the intention to try and forget Adrien, she still found herself measuring them up against him and that was ultimately what caused those relationships to peter out.

There _was_ one other guy she had always wondered about. Another green-eyed blonde that she knew rather intimately and would know completely were it not for the mask covering his facial features. It had not been a recent development, though she could not deny the feelings had steadily been getting stronger as time went on. More and more she noticed how their celebratory fist bump had begun to give her butterflies in her stomach. How the silly nicknames he gave her caused a small flutter in her chest. There were days when she wanted to toss caution to the wind and see where things might lead to if she gave him a chance.

But two things held her back. First, that her feelings for Adrien had never gone away, and second, she wasn't sure if he could feel the same way about _Marinette_ as he did his spotted partner. She also could never tell her friend, the one who wrote more about the city's superhero duo than anyone else, that she had begun to develop deeper feelings for the sly black feline that spent his days fighting akumas and nights running around on rooftops. She feared Alya's head might explode if she did. It did not stop her mind from wandering though.

 _'Oh my Chaton. If only things could be so much simpler.'_ She had to admit to herself that if Adrien had never come along she would have gotten together with Chat Noir long ago. Though rather corny and constantly spouting _claw_ ful puns (she smiled subtly at that), he was incredibly sweet and a true romantic at heart. She still remembered the wonderful night he had planned for the two of them, even if she had unknowingly ruined it by not showing up, something that she regretted for years.

However, her attraction and admiration for her partner never quite managed to surpass her feelings for Adrien. Still, she couldn't deny how Chat seemed to be taking up more of her thoughts lately. _'We're friends and partners. Have been for years. It's only natural we would be close, even closer than in the past. And with all of these more dangerous akumas it's only natural I would be thinking about him more. I'm…concerned. That's all.'_

The rest of the day went rather smoothly compared to that morning's Akuma attack. Homework was light which was a godsend to Marinette who wanted to catch up on some much needed sleep, but they had been given a partner assignment in their History class dealing with the role France played in the American Revolution and how that in turn affected their own country. Thankfully they were allowed to choose their partner and Marinette and Alya had immediately teamed up. Adrien and Nino were almost immediately behind them exchanging fist bumps.

As they were gathering their things Alya cast a mischievous smirk towards her friend before giving her a playful shove. "So. Have you finally decided what you want to do for your birthday tomorrow?"

Marinette groaned and hung her head. Her closest and dearest friend had been bugging her about it for weeks and she had come to the conclusion she wasn't going to stop. Not today and certainly not tomorrow.

"I told you. I'm just having you over for some cake and then I figured a movie night sleepover." Over the years she had become more comfortable with being social, especially when hanging with her girlfriends. She absolutely loved hitting the movies or going to the arcade with Alya, Juleka, Rose, Mylene, and Alix. When it came to her being the center of attention though was when she tended to freeze. All too often she would make excuses to leave or not go in the first place.

"Girl it's your Eighteenth! You can't just spend it at home! I know you've been avoiding having big parties ever since your grandmother was akumatized and turned half our class into coal but you gotta get out there, enjoy what Paris has to offer you!"

Marinette sighed heavily at her friend's insistence. "You know I would love to get over this hangup but I don't think that's going to happen in the next twenty-four hours."

"You're right," Alya stated suddenly. Marinette turned to her a little surprised she had agreed. "It's gonna take thirty." Whistling loudly to carry over the din of their classmates gathering their things to head home, she quickly gained their attention before winking at the dark-haired girl who froze. "Alright everyone! Tomorrow is Marinette's birthday party at the Nostalgique Tavern. It's her eighteenth and we are gonna do it right!"

The class cheered in approval and continued to file out while Marinette sat there too stunned to move. Her eye however was twitching madly while her best friend, _'ex-best friend'_ she thought to herself, smiled smugly at her.

"By the way, everyone plus myself have been planning this for two weeks so your butt is _going_ to be there. Now, I'll be at your house tomorrow at six to help you get ready."

"But-" she began only to find herself the last person in the classroom as the rest of the students had already headed out. Marinette groaned and let her forehead bounce off the desk top.


	2. Knowing thyself

**A/N:** Welcome back to another one of my _Miraculous_ chapters (pun intended).

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Miraculous, the characters, or my house which currently is sitting at 'Why did I buy this place?!' levels of interest.

 ***UPDATE 4/9/19 - The fic has been edited to be more streamlined and to clear up some issues I was seeing with my character development. Please start back at the first chapter and reread the story as a few details have changed. Hope you enjoy the newer version as much as the older one.***

* * *

With an Akuma attack having occurred just that morning, the likelihood of Hawk Moth sending out another villain was incredibly low. Knowing that their enemy's kwami must be limited in the same way theirs were, it was easy to find patterns in his behavior. That he was drawing on his own abilities to power the akumas meant that he was limited in what he could affect and when. Just as they needed time to regain strength after using their special power, so would their enemy.

They had also learned from their Kwami and in their discussions with Master Fu, that the more power expended, the longer it took for them to build up their strength again. With each recent Akuma being much more dangerous than when they had originally began their long battle, the time between attacks had increased telling them that Hawk Moth still had to play by the rules of the Miraculous.

Even still, both heroes of Paris took to the streets a few times a week to patrol just to err on the side of caution. It had the added benefit of intimidating some of the less-than-lawful citizens who were out each night. While they had legally only been given permission to battle Akumatized victims, which wouldn't have mattered to them since they were the only ones who could, they had been expressly told in a private security council meeting that they were not allowed to be vigilantes. Of course they didn't always obey that rule. When one of them came across a mugging or violent altercation, the police would show up to find a suspect tied to a light pole or a bench. Thankfully they had never been attributed to apprehending those criminals and the Paris Inspecteur général appeared to not question any 'anonymous civilian arrests.' Rumors were enough to scare off most criminals when Ladybug and Chat Noir were around.

It seemed that they had been spotted early that night since the city remained relatively quiet. After traversing their respective individual paths, the two met up on the top platform of the Eiffel Tower. It was a favorite of the two, for both the view and how it reduced the amount of gawkers since they were too high up.

"Evening, M'Lady." Chat swung up onto the narrow beam his partner was currently perched on. Ladybug offered him a friendly wave, returning to swinging her feet casually. "How are you on this fine night?"

"Better than this morning. Finally got that soot smell out of my nose." She couldn't help the cringe that accompanied the irritated wiggle of her nose.

"I know!" Chat dropped next to her and absentmindedly scrubbed at his own. "Your power fixes the whole city, puts out fires, heals any injury, yet we still get stuck smelling burnt toast for hours on end." Ladybug giggled at the way her partner suddenly went cross-eyed trying to look down to the tip of his nose as if expecting to see more soot.

"Yes, well, luckily we get a break tonight I think. That last one probably benched Hawk Moth for at least a couple weeks." Those were the times that Ladybug loved the most. When the pressure was off and she was free to just run around the city, to enjoy being the girl she always wished she could be in her everyday life. The grace and power she had as Ladybug never translated back to her normal self. Over the last few years she had certainly become more confident, more self-assured, but it was always missing that rush she could only experience when sailing over rooftops and scaling monuments with ease.

"I don't mind that. I can certainly use a break." Ladybug looked over at her partner, a little perplexed. She knew he absolutely adored being Chat Noir, would look for any excuse to just get out of the house and run around the city. She still didn't know who he was, but he had made it very clear over the years that the freedom he got to have as Chat was invigorating and made his day-to-day life easier. "Homework," he replied to her puzzled expression. That certainly cleared it up for her. She often was far behind on assignments herself.

Though she didn't know him outside of the mask, or so she would tell herself, she knew that they both were students. It had been a rather amusing patrol when Chat had shown up with a backpack and sat next to her while working on an essay. She also knew they were about the same age. It still didn't give her much to go on with learning his identity, but then again they weren't really supposed to do that anyway. They had both been warned by their respective Kwamis and Master Fu that secrecy was vital until their enemy could be defeated.

"Yeah. I might finally be able to catch up on some sleep."

"Probably won't help you get to school on time though, huh?" Ladybug softly smacked her partner's shoulder at the tease. She had confided in him that she wasn't much of a morning person and rarely made it out of bed to get to school before class started. And by 'rarely' she meant _possibly_ once a month. Her duties as Ladybug had only made that harder since she was often out most nights until late. Chat on the other hand could be out until two in the morning with her and according to him be up and at school before the first bell even rang. She despised him for that.

"I should never have said anything to you." Chat snickered before turning to look back out over the lights beneath them, spread throughout the city.

"So… Any progress with that boy yet?" She grimaced at the question. Since the two of them couldn't discuss much in their lives without potentially revealing information about themselves, the two avoided things like where they might work or what assignments they had in school or any interesting goings-on with their families, they stuck to the regular standards for most teenagers. Music, movies, and affairs of the heart.

"No?"

Chat threw his head back in exasperation. "It's been three years, Bugaboo." It hurt for him to say it since he still held a torch for his lady, but he had learned a long time ago that she may never see him that way so he would instead support anything that would make her happy. "What's been stopping you from telling him?"

 _'You mean besides you, Chaton? Wait NO!'_ A bit stunned by her own thoughts and unable to formulate an answer, she Instead settled for a shrug, the most common non-committal answer ever devised.

Chat sighed before tapping his leg into hers. "If it hasn't gone away yet then it's not simply a schoolgirl crush anymore."

"I know! Jeez, you sound like my best girl friend."

"Getting on your case again?" He knew from past conversations that his lady's friends often tried to give her a helping nudge towards admitting her feelings to her mystery guy, but he could tell she was never able to go through with it. It was especially easy to know when those conversations did happen as Ladybug would tend to get really frustrated whenever the subject came up.

"We're really good friends! I just…can't seem to get past the part where…you know," she trailed off lamely.

"Where 'friend' becomes _friendlier._ " Chat's brow waggled at her while she gave him a playful shove. The two sat quietly for a few minutes, letting their eyes rove over the French city.

"What about you, minou? Have anyone special in your life these days?" Chat gave her a sidelong glance.

"You know my heart will always belong to you M'Lady." Ladybug rolled her eyes at the sentiment but couldn't contain the small blush reddening her cheeks beneath the mask.

"Really? No one at all has caught the eye of my dashing Chaton?" It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the affection given to her, but she wanted her partner to be happy. To be able to have someone to go home to at night, or at least take out for coffee once in a while. _'Why couldn't that be m- AH! No! Bad Marinette!'_

"Well…" The one word, full of hesitation and uncertainty immediately caught her attention. He had never mentioned anyone before, not in their three years of being a crime fighting duo. She scooted closer until she was pressed right next to him, an eager glint in her eye. Chat laughed a bit nervously. "Okay, okay. There is… _one_ person, I guess. I mean, I don't think it's romantic. Maybe? I don't know. It's very confusing."

Seeing how it was difficult for him to really explore those feelings, Ladybug leaned back onto the platform and laid down pulling him to lay down next to her. Staring up at the stars always seemed to help them open up to each other about certain things. Possibly because they could whisper their secrets to the sky where no one could judge them. Hearing a deep breath come from her fellow hero she waited patiently, ready to listen should he care to tell.

It took a few minutes but eventually his tension lessened and he became more relaxed. "We've been friends for a while. Few years."

"Do I know her?"

"Yeah. I don't know if you know her outside of the suit, but you've met her on occasion." He chuckled for a moment. "We've both had to swing her out of trouble more than once. She's one of those 'need to help but forget to watch themselves' type of person." Ladybug laughed softly. She knew exactly the type he was talking about. Far too often there had been times when ordinary citizens would try to help them by evacuating others or trying to run damage control. Those were the more helpful individuals. Others though took it upon themselves to try and distract the villain usually ending up with them having to be rescued or put under a spell.

"Sounds like a real stubborn girl." Chat flashed her a smile, part genuine and part smirk.

"You have no idea. Anyways," he continued, "I've been going to see her sometimes. Always as friends." Ladybug nodded in understanding, her situation remarkably similar. "Lately though…I don't know." He trailed off, nervousness back in his voice.

Ladybug reached down and took his hand in hers, squeezing it reassuringly. "You don't have to say anything, Chaton. But I'll listen if you want to." She felt a slight tingling in her fingers, the urge to interlace hers with his being very strong. The mention of there being another lady in her Chaton's eyes was causing a small of ember of jealousy to flare up. _'Think of Adrien. Think of Adrien.'_

Closing his eyes, Chat smiled at her touch. She still was his lady and any affection from her, even platonic, was treasured. "A few months ago she just… _looked_ at me. And it wasn't new, it was the same look I'd seen dozens of times. But this time…"

"Butterflies in your chest and a frog in your throat?" He looked over at her, eyes wide. She giggled while pushing against his shoulder. "I have that every time I'm around y- _him_." _'Get ahold of yourself! You love Adrien, remember?'_

Though his mind was occupied on the other girl at that moment, he still winced at the mention of his lady's mystery man. He sighed, his thoughts in a jumbled mess. "How do I know if it's anything more?"

Ladybug didn't say anything for a few minutes while she tried to think of a way to explain it. Finally when she spoke it was in a soft, caring voice. "There's crushes, _mon Chaton_ , and then there's the real thing." He listened with rapt attention, not daring to ask questions in worry she would stop. "If you want to be next to her and take her out on dates and want to just look at her all day, then it's most likely you've gotten close enough to develop a crush. But if you want to be a shoulder for her to cry on. If you want to be there for her when she has a nightmare at two in the morning. If she tells you she's sick and you walk a mile in the rain to bring her soup. Well then, Minou _,_ it's more."

While he didn't utter anything more, she could feel him tense up further. A quick look his way had her seeing a mix of elation, fear, and confusion. If it really was that he was in love with this other person, she could understand what his expressions were about, especially if he still carried a torch for her. ' _Both of us are such a mixed bag. He's in love with me and another girl who doesn't know it. I'm in love with him and another boy who doesn't know it. If ever there was an encyclopedia entry about '_ passing ships in the night' _I think we would both be pictured in it. Wait…'_ Her eyes widened suddenly. ' _Did I just say I love Chat?!'_

Coughing to distract herself and hopefully not let her partner see what must be a look of panic in her eyes she quickly tried to move on with the conversation. "Does she uh, know you outside of the suit?" If it was someone he interacted with on a day-to-day basis then expressing his feelings would be less complicated. If not…

Chat shook his head. "I mean, we're friends but I don't think she sees me in that way."

 _'Well. That's a whole lot more complicated.'_ She almost chuckled, though sadly, at how alike their situations were. "Poor girl must be blind then. You're a total _cat_ -ch."

A shrill beeping came from Chat's staff slung along his back. Sliding it forward he took at look at the display and blanched. "Oh no! I'm gonna be late!" He leapt to his feet and turned to his spotted partner. "Thanks Bugaboo for the talk. It helped a lot." She could only offer a quick wave before he launched himself off the structure and was gone into the night.

Sitting up herself, Ladybug resumed kicking her feet, though this time the motions were much slower, more absentminded than with any real purpose. She reflected on how much they had come to know and trust each other over the years and she hoped that her kitten would find a way to be happy. Soon though with his absence came the thoughts of her best friend and how she was still miffed about her 'surprise' earlier that day.

"Springing a surprise party on me is bad enough, but expecting everyone to hit a bar on a Wednesday night? Half the class will be…hung…over…" Her eyes suddenly widened at remembering that her birthday, which was tomorrow, was on a Wednesday. Meaning today was Tuesday. "La vache!"

* * *

It was rare that Ladybug ever took a straight path towards her home. The risk of attracting any attention to her movements was always something she took very seriously. However, there were those times when she found herself late for something important leading her to race across town as quickly as se could. Normally it was something to do with her parents or if Alya randomly stopped by just after an Akuma fight and wanted to show her the footage she captured. That night though was something she really did not want to miss.

Her speed thankfully brought her back to the roof of her family's bakery within a few minutes. With a hasty glance around she hurriedly opened the trapdoor and slunk inside before dropping her transformation.

The red form of one of her dearest and closest friends flitted in front of her with a slight frown. "That was really irresponsible, Marinette. Someone could have seen you."

"I know, TIkki." Marinette's voice was muffled by her shirt which had gotten snagged around her head when she tried to take it off. "I was late and you know I have to be back here first!" She finally managed to get free of the offending garment and tossed it haphazardly into her hamper. Her pants soon joined it before she began rushing around to find a pair of comfortable pajamas to change into.

Tikki couldn't help but sigh. She knew her Chosen wasn't the most careful but she was definitely her favorite. The hearts and minds of all the Ladybugs throughout the ages had always been pure and full of life and hope and dreams, and that was what made Tikki so happy to be with them. Each one was special to her and the memories she shared with them would forever be with her. Marinette though was different. Marinette was Tikki in human form. Full of generosity, selflessness, dreams, desires, and a creative spirit unlike anything the kwami had been exposed to in her very long life. It was why they worked so well together. And though her Chosen may be a bit too emotional, it only made her love the girl more. _'And really I can't say anything about her being this way about boys. Heaven only knows the way Plagg can just wink at me and I go to pieces.'_

Tikki was about to say more when a soft _thump_ landed outside. "Tikki, hide!" The kwami needed no such suggestion though as she had already ducked into her own little house Marinette had made for her.

A quick rap on the trapdoor overhead caused Marinette to spin around frantically making sure anything embarrassing was out of sight and out of mind. She started heading over to where the ladder was with the intent on opening it until a light breeze through her window tickled her bare legs reminding her that her pajamas were still laid out on the bed. A shrill 'Eep' escaped her while she tried to hurriedly put them on. A couple minutes later she finally managed to open the trapdoor leading to the roof and stood back.

A long form in skintight black leather gracefully dropped down into the room. "Evening _purr_ -incess. Ready for tonight?"

Marinette grinned and held up a dvd case and a previously made bag of popcorn.

* * *

 ** _Roughly two years ago…_**

 _"Stand still, you mangy feline!"_

 _Chat Noir scoffed. It was a rather too common one for him to hear and honestly he was getting a bit bored of it. "Mange? Seriously? You can't come up with a better name to insult me with? What, do all you villains get the same script but just fill in the blanks where your unimaginative name goes?"_

 _The quip seemed to rock the newest Akuma victim for a moment. "Sh-shut up!" Chat chuckled when a large snowball flew towards his head which he quickly dodged. Wherever the snow broke apart, sheets of ice took their place. Already half of the nearby stores were coated and frozen shut, the occupants beginning to feel a very unnatural chill sweeping over them. Considering how warm the weather had been, none of them were wearing anything meant to keep out the cold._

 _Running up and over a car positioned in the middle of street, empty and abandoned by the owner when the attack had began, the feline hero knew he needed to end this quickly. Sizing up his newest opponent, Chat kept a close eye on any nearby civilians while preparing himself to avoid getting hit by the flying snow._

 _It was not his first time squaring off against an icy villain, though it was certainly a first of what he was seeing. Never had he imagined that a twenty-foot tall snowman would be attempting to freeze him solid, yet there he was. Staring at what he could only describe as a fond childhood memory turned nightmare. Especially since the carrot nose was nearly four feet long._

 _"Seriously, who comes up with a name like Snowstorm? That's a weather report." He narrowly avoided another sheet of ice that had appeared before him, but kept up his taunts to throw his opponent off-balance._

 _'C'mon, M'Lady. Kinda need your help right about now.' While the snowman was slow and his attacks mostly avoidable, he knew that one lucky hit meant he would be a popsicle and pretty much helpless._

 _"Give up and give me-"_

 _"Your Miraculous," Chat finished for him with a yawn. "Same script, different actor." The Akuma let out a frustrated shriek and began pulling snow from his own body, gathering it up into a ball big enough to freeze half the street._

 _Chat looked around quickly, hoping to find a way to stop the newest threat to his, and everyone else's, health. What he saw though made his stomach clench in fear._

 _Directly off the side of the road in one of the few alleyways not currently filled with snow and ice stood his classmate and close friend, Marinette. She was not keeping her eyes on the Akuma which he found surprising for a moment, but appeared to be glancing up and down the street as if trying to spot someone._

 _He knew it would be useless to shout at her to get back, Marinette wasn't the type to simply cut and run if she thought she could help, but he couldn't very well ignore her either. Especially as Snowstorm seemed to be finished collecting the gigantic ball of ammo he had been building._

 _Seeing the snowman's arm winding up for a heavy pitch, Chat leapt towards the alley and quickly grabbed the suddenly shocked teenager before extending his staff and launching them both into the air, just in time to watch as that side of the street turned into one big ice rink._

 _Landing a couple of rooftops away, the superhero turned to his bewildered friend. "Uh, Chat Noir! Thanks! I can't believe I was almost frozen."_

 _Something in her expression was off, he could tell. But he really did not have the time to dwell on it as the Akuma was now turning the corner and slowly heading their way. "Always happy to lend a paw, Purr-incess," he said with an extravagant bow. Gripping her hand softly, Chat raised it to his lips and kissed the back of it. Knowing Marinette as he did in his civilian form, he expected to see a heavy blush or at least hear a stammer. What he got however was a much different girl._

 _Marinette simply smirked at him and shoved his shoulder lightly. "Don't you have a job to do, kitty cat?"_

 _"Right you are, Princess!" Turning on his heels, Chat extended his staff again. Sparing a quick look over his shoulder, he gave her a wink. "Stay outta trouble, now." Launching himself from the roof, Chat Noir landed on the large round head and began kicking the snow away causing the snow monster to yell out a few well chosen curses._

 _He didn't see the young girl dip back around a chimney, nor did he notice his partner suddenly reappearing on the opposite side. All he did know was that his feet were getting cold._

* * *

 _It had been a tricky opponent to defeat, Marinette thought to herself while climbing the stairwell back to her classroom. The Akuma had been hiding in a scarf that was barely visible whenever the snowman had gathered enough snow from it's own body to throw their way. In order to have a chance at getting it, Marinette had been forced to get far too close for comfort, especially as the temperature plummeted near him. Dodging the thrown ice was a challenge but it allowed her partner to drop down behind him and snag the end of the scarf with his Cataclysm._

 _The snowman had melted down to reveal a young child, eleven or twelve that was bundled up in several sweaters, an odd thing to see in early fall. It turned out that the young boy's mother was extremely overprotective and had put a lot of layers on him, the end result of the kid being bullied at school for it. After everything had been fixed with her Miraculous Ladybug and the frozen citizens had been thawed out, Marinette had been forced to race back to the school. She arrived a few minutes late to class but Akuma attacks usually gave students a short grace period._

 _It was unsurprising that Adrien showed up a few minutes late as well. While Marinette seemed to be prone to finding ridiculous ways to trip or knock things over, Adrien had a knack for being caught in Akuma attacks. Already he had been mummified, turned into a knight, changed into a mirror image of Reflecta, changed into solid gold, forced to dance and sing so he wouldn't be turned into a statue, and numerous other problems. Thankfully his father hadn't gotten wind of any of it or he may have pulled Adrien from school again._

 _"Dude. Frozen again?" Nino nudged him with a bit of a cheerful expression on his face. Though being caught in an attack was a stressful event and not normally something to laugh about, seeing his friend walking in under his own power without seeming too bothered by what had gone down outside relieved all of his tension._

 _"Nah. I was at the cafe down the road and the door got hit. Was stuck inside." He shrugged before giving his friend a sly grin. "Thankfully they have this amazing hot chocolate with cinnamon flakes." Nino laughed and slapped his back._

 _Just behind them Alya was processing the raw footage she had gotten of the fight and uploading it to her blog. Marinette was too busy staring at the back of Adrien's head to notice. She may have gotten closer to him as a friend and had reached the point of being able to have a conversation without becoming tongue-tied, it still didn't keep her from daydreaming about the boy._

 _Alya finished and turned to her friend, rolling her eyes when she saw the dreamy expression and dopey smile on her lips. She nudged Marinette enough to shake her from it. "So a little birdie told me that a certain black cat swept you off your feet." Alya flashed her a wink which made the young girl blush._

 _"Wh-what?! No!" Marinette spluttered. "I mean, well sort of, but not like that!" Alya smirked while she let Marinette stumble over the events. "I was almost hit by the snowman and Chat Noir grabbed me and hauled me to the roof to get me out of harms way."_

 _"So where were you? You came in late, though I suppose that's not too surprising for you," she joked._

 _"I made my way down off the roof and I was going to come back to school but then I got hit by another snowball and ended up trapped for a little while. Thankfully not too long since Ladybug and Chat Noir took out the Akuma really quick. Do you know how freezing it is inside a block of magical ice, especially without a coat?"_

 _Distracted, Marinette didn't notice Adrien's sudden slump in front of her. Nino did see the droop in his friend's expression but chalked it up to maybe a late reaction to being in the middle of an attack._

 _Instead Adrien was internally scolding himself. 'I can't believe I let Marinette get hurt.'_

 _The thought stayed with him for the rest of the day, even through dinner and his evening Chinese lesson. Once the rest of the house had quieted for the night, and with his mind still consumed by his failure to protect his friend, Adrien transformed and slipped out into the darkness._

* * *

 _The last light to usually go out at the Dupain Cheng bakery was located at the very top of the building. If anyone was to be on a nearby rooftop they would see a teenage girl bent over a desk scribbling away madly or hunched over a sewing machine while fabric met stitch in remarkably brilliant designs. However, nobody ever went up to the roof on those buildings as they were fairly crowded and not quite high enough to see anything beyond an occasional full moon._

 _Of course that only applied to those unable to climb to extraordinary heights and perch on outcroppings, which currently one figure was doing, his black outfit vanishing in the thin moonlight barely seen through the heavy clouds overhead._

 _His cat slit pupils were able to pierce through the darkness to see the girl inside the dimly lit room. It was almost amusing to see her moving so absentmindedly much as she did during school hours. What he did find interesting was how she seemed to be having a one-sided conversation with herself, arms flapping about in extreme gestures._

 _Worried that it could have something to do with her being attacked, Chat extended his staff and pole-vaulted across to her balcony. His cat-like reflexes made sure his landing was silent, enough that even the nearby pigeons didn't spook, though the quiet sneeze he made certainly had them fluttering away._

 _'Damn allergies.'_

 _Unfortunately while he had hoped to check on Marinette without worrying her or really bothering her night, that sneeze gave him away._

 _"Chat Noir?"_

 _The trapdoor next to him had suddenly opened and a curious head popped out. Black hair mussed and partially pulled from her customary pigtails, Marinette gave the superhero a quizzical look._

 _"H-hey, purr-incess. How are you this fine evening?"_

 _The almost unnoticeable hesitation in his voice made her smirk. Catching her partner by surprise always brought a smile to her lips, though even more when she was simple Marinette instead of the 'Miraculous Ladybug.' It was easy then, seeing how smitten he was with her alter-ego._

 _"I'm alright. What brings you to my balcony? If you are looking for some of those chocolate covered pastries you like so much you may have to wait until the morning for some fresh ones."_

 _Chat licked his lips at the thought of his favorite treat and made a mental note to swing by as Adrien on his way to school, he shook his head slightly. "No, Princess. I wanted to see if you were okay after the attack. I-…" he paused before swallowing hard. "I'm sorry I didn't keep you safe today."_

 _Her heart ached for her Chaton. She knew how much he cared for all the people of Paris, just as she did, and to believe that they had failed anyone was something that weighed heavily on them. Reaching out, she placed a hand on his shoulder causing a start to go through his body._

 _"You didn't fail to help me, Chaton. You saved me. It was just some bad timing that the Akuma turned the corner just as I did."_

 _Chat sighed heavily before running his claws through his unkempt hair. "Maybe so, but I still feel responsible."_

 _Seeing how upset he was, Marinette knew she couldn't just leave her partner feeling so down. "Hey, Chat. Why don't you come inside. I think there may be some leftover pastries from this afternoon."_

 _Chat couldn't but lick his lips at the hint of the Dupain-Cheng confections. If there was one thing he was willing to cheat on his diet for, it was the famous chocolate croissants at the best bakery in Paris._

* * *

 ** _Present Day_**

"Dammit, Minou! Give me that popcorn!"

Chat couldn't help but laugh while he leapt from chaise to bed to ladder all the while grinning like a maniac, the movie playing all but forgotten.


	3. Hormones used Confusion Super Effective

**A/N:** I've hit such a wall with my final semester classes that finding time to write has been zilch. Zero. Nada. Hopefully you enjoy this newest chapter!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Miraculous. Or the characters. My tv is on loan from a friend who knows he'll probably never get it back.

 ***UPDATE 4/9/19 - The fic has been edited to be more streamlined and to clear up some issues I was seeing with my character development. Please start back at the first chapter and reread the story as a few details have changed. Hope you enjoy the newer version as much as the older one.***

* * *

No one quite understood why it was that every Wednesday morning Adrien Agreste would walk into class with a smile on his lips. It wasn't one that was overly joyful as if he had suddenly discovered he had perfected the piano and therefore never had to practice ever again, but more of a 'I have a secret' smile. A grin that he would try to hide were it not for being impossible.

For two years Nino had noticed his friend's disposition on those mornings. He had given up on ever being told the truth, Adrien always coming up with a reason like his Chinese lesson ended early or a photoshoot was delayed. He knew it was bogus but he figured that his friend's life was already public enough, that the man deserved to keep a secret or two to himself. Didn't stop him from wondering or voicing it though.

That morning though something seemed…off.

Adrien's signature smile was missing, replaced by something more contemplative. A scrunched up look that revealed to anyone seeing him that something was on his mind. It was even further evident when he took his seat and did not even notice his best friend leaning over to ask him what was up. Instead his mind was still on Tuesday night.

It had been an enjoyable evening. They hadn't watched more than half the movie though after he had decided to play keep away with the popcorn. Instead Marinette had picked up her drawing tablet and began sketching a few of her ideas while talking about all the drama happening at her school. Chat stayed rather quiet beyond the odd snicker to two. He didn't want to give away his identity so he couldn't insert himself fully into the conversation, but he definitely enjoyed some of the stories he hadn't been present for himself.

He had kept himself busy brushing and braiding Marinette's hair. It had started out as a simple joke about sleepovers and what girls did during them, but she hadn't been able to deny how good his claws were at deftly manipulating her hair. So it had become a tradition added to their weekly movie nights.

Thankfully that distraction kept him from dwelling too much on his most recent thoughts, especially the ones he had revealed to Ladybug earlier that night. For months he had been entertaining more and more different feelings for Marinette. He had been growing to appreciate her in ways he hadn't experienced before, or since, Ladybug, but he couldn't deny that they were there and growing stronger.

A few brushes of their hands reaching for the popcorn bowl had made him shiver which he had hoped she didn't notice. The one time she had wiped away a small smear of butter oil from his cheek had caused him to stop breathing for several seconds at the touch. But what really had made him nervous was how he couldn't stop staring at her. He feared that if she had glanced over even once his way that he wouldn't be able to turn his head in time or come up with a reason his eyes were on her. He had been embarrassed to realize at certain points he was subconsciously licking his lips as if daring himself to kiss her.

That embarrassment returned full force when the object of his newfound desires entered the room directly in front of him. Stumbling into the doorway in classic Marinette style, she barely caught herself on the edge of his desk before straightening herself out.

"You alright there, Mari?" His genuine concern had a smile spreading over her lips and she graciously nodded.

"I'm fine, Adrien. Thank you." She stepped past, putting a hand on his shoulder gratefully. A small shudder went through him but thankfully she had already removed her hand so that she didn't notice it.

Nino however did and gave his friend a sidelong glance and raised brow. Adrien simply pretended not to see the look and kept as neutral an expression as he could. His attention was soon diverted by the whispers behind him as Marinette and Alya began to converse.

* * *

"I still can't believe you are making me go to this thing."

Marinette was still upset about her friend springing a surprise party on her. It might have been easier for her to stomach if it had been at the park or maybe the large arcade over by the school. At least then she would have room to move around and not feel compelled to talk to people, maybe even slip out early, but no. She was to be subjected to lots of company and a ridiculous amount of socializing if Alya's smirk yesterday had been any indication.

"It's not a _thing_ , it's your birthday! And your eighteenth too!"

Marinette simply shook her head. "I don't really need a big party, Alya. You know it's not exactly my scene."

"You don't even _know_ what your scene is, girl. You never go out to these things. So now you are obligated to attend and we are going to have a blast. You'll see." Alya gave her friend a wink before leaning forward and tapping her boyfriend on the shoulder. Nino turned and stretched up before giving her a little peck.

Marinette couldn't help but envy her friends relationship. Her and Nino had been going strong for nearly three years and, even though they argued rather a lot when it came to Alya's stubbornness when following Akumas for her blog footage, they showed no sign of slowing.

Their conversation died off as Miss Bustier entered and began their lesson for the day. Marinette wasn't sure how well she would handle mathematics first thing that morning after having spent so much time with Chat the night before, but she really didn't have a choice and pulled out her tablet to take notes. A few minutes in and with none of those notes making their way to the screen, she decided to give up and let her mind drift.

She looked toward the blonde currently sitting in front of her and sighed wistfully, a daydream forming in her mind of the two of them dancing at a fancy ball before closing together into a passionate kiss. She thought she had been quiet but apparently not enough since Alya nudged her with an elbow. Giving her friend a mock glare, she turned back to the front. Marinette tried to pay attention to the lesson but all too soon her daydreams took over again resuming where she left off. The kiss in her dream felt perfect and she wondered if it would truly be so wonderful. When she allowed her imaginary self to pull away she let it do so with the intention of memorizing everything about Adrien's handsome face. She was not expecting to see a black mask with stunning green eyes and messy blonde hair looking down at her, a genuine smile on his lips that looked so kissable and soft it would be criminal not to explore them. A surge of heat flowing across her lower abdomen and the feeling of butterflies in her chest was enough to give her a jolt.

Shaken from her dream, Marinette gasped in shock and stood up so quickly she nearly toppled over the back of the bench. Needless to say their teacher stopped in the middle of her sentence to give Marinette a questioning look. Feeling the eyes of everyone else on her as well, she quickly scrambled for an excuse.

"Um, bathroom? I mean, uh, I need to go use the bathroom, please."

Miss Bustier nodded and she quickly sped from the room barely acknowledging Alya's concern and completely avoiding Adrien's gaze altogether.

It took only a few seconds for her to reach the restroom but for Marinette it seemed to take hours. Finally though she managed to swing open the door before slumping down behind it. Tikki flew from her purse and quickly looked under the stalls to make sure they were alone before zipping back to her holder.

"Marinette, what's wrong?"

With everything having happened so fast, the young girl hadn't noticed how she had been holding her breaths in panic. Only her brain screaming at her for oxygen allowed her to start breathing again but even then the breaths were ragged.

"Tikki," she gasped hoarsely. "Adrien was right there. The love of my life. And…and…"

"And?" Tikki was very confused by her charge's sudden shock and panic. She knew that Marinette could become very overwhelmed by her crush but this was far more extreme than she had witnessed before.

"And all I could see, all I could suddenly think about, was Chat Noir!" Images flooded into her mind from her daydreams. "Being held by Adrien only to become Chat. Dancing with Adrien and then him being Chat. Ki- _kissing_ Adrien and then…"

"Chat?" Tikki provided. Marinette nodded before burying her face in her arms. _'Oh dear,'_ Tikki mused. _'As if these two didn't already make things complicated enough.'_

But why Marinette was suddenly thinking about her partner in that way wasn't the only reason she had been spooked. The moment where Adrien was gone and her precious kitten was in front of her was when her mind and body cried out in one single thought.

 _'I want MORE.'_

* * *

The students had broken for lunch and Marinette still had yet to return from the bathroom. Alya had gone to check on her after their first period but she came back without her friend, saying only that Marinette was fine and just needed some time to herself.

Not knowing exactly what was happening with their friend was causing a build-up of anxiety within Adrien, a strong and powerful urge to head straight for where his princess was hiding. The teenager had always been very protective of his friends, a trait his Kwami had told him would only increase as he and his holder grew closer over time, but Marinette was special. Years of not only being Adrien's friend but Chat Noir's as well had brought them so much closer than he had ever imagined.

Knowing now how he felt, that his previous infatuation with her had become so much more, sent those instincts into overdrive. He wanted nothing more than to charge in and gather her up in his arms, to take her somewhere and lick her wounds better. It took a lot of convincing from his logical side to put a lock on those feelings. He didn't know exactly _what_ was going on with his princess. For all he knew she was having a stomach bug and the most he would end up doing would be embarrassing her. Instead he took a seat across from Nino and Alya for their lunch break.

"So. The party tonight. What's the deal? I know you have something more planned than just getting together and drinking, Alya." Knowing exactly how devious the hazel-eyed girl could be, Adrien wasn't taking any chances on what he might walk into.

"Moi?" She let out a very fake and overdramatic gasp as if the audacity of his statement was shocking. "I can't believe that you, Adrien Agreste, would accuse me of hiding something from my best friend." She tried to keep a straight face the entire time, but halfway through the speech her lips had started quirking up at the corners.

Raising a brow at his best friend's girl, he waited for her to crack. But even though her grin kept widening there was no hint of her breaking. So he changed tactics and switched his gaze towards his best friend.

"Nino. C'mon, man. Help a brother out." The young man started to sweat while his eyes shifted back and forth between his girl friend and his favorite bud.

"I-…Look, Adrien, you know I love you…it's just that-" He broke off at the nudge from Alya's elbow and turned to see her smug smirk aimed towards Adrien. He felt it was a bit much of a taunt so he decided to give his friend a little bit of an idea. "Nette's never gone to a tavern before-"

"Nino!"

"-she's never been to Nostalgique-"

"Dammit Nino!"

"-and she definitely doesn't know about the base _mmmph!"_

His words became muffled with Alya clapping a hand over his lips but the damage was done. Adrien, while not a fan of going to bars or taverns himself, had been invited to Nostalgique once before after a photoshoot. He had thought it a very strange place for his fellow models to frequent but that all changed when they led him down the back staircase to a soundproof door. It seemed ominous at the time but knowing the people he worked with were too vapid to be cultists and too obsessed with their appearance to be vampires he had followed along and ended up having a crazy and memorable night.

"That's….either going to be a fantastic surprise or turn into one hell of a nightmare." The trio laughed at the thought before Adrien had a very sobering thought wash over him. _'A nightmare that could possibly lead to an Akuma…'_ "Uhh, Chloe's not coming, is she?" He felt slightly guilty for singling out his childhood friend like that but he couldn't deny she had been responsible for more Akumas in Paris than anyone else. She had gotten better over the years but it was still a work in progress.

Alya hadn't planned on inviting the blonde class menace but the announcement to the whole class had unfortunately included Chloe. Before she could say anything though a nasally voice reached their ears, one so full of sneer that they didn't even need the expression on her face to tell.

" _Moi?"_ There was no mistaking the venom in Chloe's words. "You think I would go anywhere near a party being thrown by _MariTrash?"_

Alya's face turned beet red in anger. Nino, knowing the signs of his girlfriend contemplating murder, quickly wrapped an arm around hers to keep her seated. The reaction though did not come in the form of the young woman, but the blonde-haired boy beside them.

* * *

It had taken until lunch before Marinette felt calm enough to leave her sanctuary, at least as her civilian self. After Alya had checked on her, Ladybug made an appearance over the streets of Paris, swinging her way towards a clear head and allowing some time to herself to think. Unfortunately the cool air and quiet ambience above the rooftops did not offer her any clarity.

 _'Why now?'_

The thought had echoed inside of her head, repeating like a mantra that was planning on drilling into her subconscious. She was having a great many problems trying to come to terms with…whatever it was she was feeling or seeing. Tikki hadn't been as much help as Marinette had hoped but at least she had been able to glean a bit of understanding.

 ** _*Earlier that morning - After reaching the restroom*_**

 _"Marinette, it's quite all right to be thinking of Chat Noir like that." The tiny sprite was currently stroking a small section of her chosen's hair. It was during these type of moments she wished she was bigger on the mortal plane. Her tiny arms were not well-suited for giving comforting hugs and her lack of fingers certainly did not help either._

 _"I love Adrien though, Tikki. Not Chat Noir." Except, she remembered vividly, she had just admitted the exact opposite to herself the night before. "I mean, well, maybe there's something there? But he's never interrupted my daydreams before. It's always been Adrien."_

 _"You can love more than one person at a time, Marinette." Moving to float in front of her holder's eyes, Tikki put as much sincerity into her expression as she was capable of. "Adrien has been a very good friend to you for several years and since you formed an attachment to him when you were younger it makes sense those feelings would continue. But Chat Noir has been your partner for the same amount of time. You two have been thrust into many challenges those without a Miraculous have never even imagined facing. Those sort of moments can bring people closer together than you could even dream."_

 _Marinette gained a slightly far-away look in her eyes, her expression clearing up a bit at Tikki's explanation._

 _Sensing she was getting through to her, Tikki continued. "You also have to remember that Chat Noir is not only Ladybug's partner, but_ Marinette's _friend. You've spent more time with him out of costume than you ever have as a superhero."_

 _The teenager had to admit her dearest companion was right. She certainly was close to her kitten, even inviting him into her bedroom a few times a week to talk or watch movies. "We've been friends for years but it's always been Adrien I've dreamt about."_

 _Tikki pondered that for a moment. She didn't truly believe that it was only something that had emerged that morning. Feelings of this nature tended to build over time. But her chosen needed the reassurance._

 _"Maybe it had to do with Chat's confession. You remember. He spoke to Ladybug about how there was a girl he was interested in. The first one he had ever considered since he had expressed his feelings for your costumed alter-ego."_

 _Marinette's jaw dropped. "You think he meant…me? Marinette me?"_

 _If Tikki could, she would have facepalmed. As it was she was lucky she was already a deep red in color as she was certain her face was heating up in frustration. '_ Of course it's you! How are you two this dense?! _' Out loud she instead chose her words much more carefully and tactful._

 _"With how busy you two are, and how busy he talks about being all the time, do you think he has time to think about other girls? It can only be you, Marinette. And maybe you already know that and THAT'S why you are letting your feelings for him present themselves in a more…intimate way like in your daydream."_

 ** _*End flashback*_**

It was certainly something to think about and Tikki had made a lot of sense. But rather than feeling much calmer at the knowledge she now had, it only made her feel more conflicted.

"How can I even say I love Adrien if I'm thinking about another boy? It's not fair to him. And I could never ask him out knowing there could be something between me and Chat."

 _'But do you even want to?'_

The thought came midway through Ladybug sneaking back through the bathroom window. She was so startled that she tumbled in through the opening, losing all of her graceful abilities in that moment. "Of course I want to," she mumbled to herself while standing up and brushing off the dirt now sticking to her leotard. "I love Adrien."

 _'Is that true though?'_

She paused again, whispering the words to drop her transformation before walking over to the nearby mirror and staring at herself in the mirror, adjusting some loose hairs back behind her ear. Shaking her head, she reached down to turn on the faucet, intent on splashing her face with cold water. "Of course it is. Why would I think otherwise?"

 _'Yet you've been able to talk to him more without stumbling over your words."_

"We're closer. I've matured and grown to know him better."

 _'He doesn't cause butterflies to suddenly flutter in your chest all too often anymore.'_

"That's not tr-" she trailed off as she had a sudden realization. Though she had told Chat Noir just last night that she still got butterflies around Adrien, _"Every day"_ she had said, reflecting back it really wasn't the truth. In fact if she had to be completely honest with herself she could not remember the last time he _had really_ elicited those feelings in her.

 _'But they came back when Chat became the focus of your passionate daydream, didn't they.'_

"That's-…ugh. Why am I talking to myself? C'mon Tikki. We should probably grab some lunch before it gets too late and I know you need some sweets." Her kwami giggled and nodded her petite head before zipping inside Marinette's jacket.

Right before she reached for the door handle, she put her forehead against the cool metal. "Life used to be so much simpler, Tikki. Wake up, eat breakfast, purify an Akuma…" Tikki giggled sweetly again, sliding up to nuzzle her holder's neck before going back into her pocket. The two headed out and were only a few feet past the door when a loud commotion caught their ear.

"-ou need to stop calling her that, Chloe."

"Oh Adrikins, you need to wake up and smell the social status. We are above the rest. I think after all the time you've spent in the _slums_ of this school you would have gotten your little rebellious streak out of your system."

"Why do you insist on being so mean to everyone? Especially Marinette." Off to the side, still unnoticed by the large crowd of students, Marinette winced. She really did not like being the cause of confrontation. "What did she ever do to you? Three years I've been here and the only thing I've ever seen her do is try to be nice to you. Or at least civil. But you seem determined to try and be cruel. I always hoped you would grow out of this phase, Chloe. But it seems you are determined to remain like this forever and I really don't need someone so toxic near me anymore."

Chloe was left speechless. Never had Adrien spoken to her in that manner. Sure he had made mentions over the years for her to be kinder to others ad he may have chastised her whenever she had made a few more _hurtful_ comments in the past, but he had never stared her down with such a firm glare in his eyes or anger in his voice.

It looked as if Chloe was starting to tear up but just then as she averted her gaze from the piercing one of her oldest friend, her eyes met with Marinette's on the opposite side of the courtyard. A flash of surprise was quickly replaced with one of disgust. Throwing her purse strap over her shoulder and turning her nose up in the air, she passed by everyone in a huff. Sabrina, ever the follower quickly hurried after her though not before sending Adrien an apologetic look.

Marinette watched as Adrien seemed to slump in on himself, his hand going to the back of his neck and rubbing it awkwardly. She moved slowly towards the group, unnoticed by Adrien who was suddenly being swept up by Nino in a strong hug.

"Whoa dude! That was killer! The way you stood up to Chloe was just awesome."

"Not to mention a long time coming." Alya had sidled up next to her boyfriend and placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning into his arm comfortably. "And thank you, Adrien."

Adrien was sure there was a confused look o his face when he cocked his head. "Thank me? I didn't do anything."

"Maybe you don't think so, but you stood up for my girl. You got mad Alya points right now."

Adrien and Nino laughed heartily but the blonde's was cut short as a soft voice directly behind him spoke up making his heart beat faster.

"Yes. Thank you for standing up for me, Adrien."


	4. Reversed traits

**A/N:** Aaaaaand we're back! Sorry for the long delay. Between school, moving, and other stereotypical life stuff the editing took a backseat. I hope everyone is ready for some more story and hopefully we'll see a quicker update period soon.

Just a heads up: Chapter 1 is still the same but chapter 2&3 are now chapter 2, 4&5 are chapter 3, and 6 is now 4. Confusing ain't it? Well, that's how my brain works so yep!

Side-note that I find rather humorous: I received a PM asking if I was going to introduce Lila into the story. This person really likes her character story. I'm going to announce to you all thaaaaaat...NO! She will NOT be in this fic. I hate Lila. I hate the drama and she's such a cringey character. Just BLARGH. Anywho, back to the newest chapter!

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Miraculous. Or the characters. Or a nice sandwich. Man I'm hungry.

 ***UPDATE 4/9/19 - The fic has been edited to be more streamlined and to clear up some issues I was seeing with my character development. Please start back at the first chapter and reread the story as a few details have changed. Hope you enjoy the newer version as much as the older one.***

* * *

"Marinette!" Adrien nearly tripped over his own feet spinning around in shock. The last thing he had expected was for his friend to leave her sanctuary in time to see and hear his defense of her.

Mari giggled, a blush staining her cheeks. "It was very sweet of you, Adrien," she said quietly while resting her hand on his arm. Her breath hitched at the contact, her head suddenly feeling very light but less overwhelming than she normally would expect. It took a lot of self-control not to not knead his ridiculously strong bicep beneath her fingers but she did let the contact last a couple seconds longer than would normally be appropriate.

Adrien meanwhile was experiencing much the same feeling. For years the only time he felt a lurch behind his navel from the touch of another it had been the red and black covered hand of his partner. Now though it was the touch of his very close friend. ' _My incredibly beautiful and sweet friend,'_ he added silently.

"N-no problem, Mari."

Alya was glancing back and forth between her two friends and staring at them as if they had grown three heads apiece. She leaned over closer to Nino and whispered to him, careful not to let the other two hear her. "Is it just me or did we enter the Twilight Zone?" Shifting slightly he gave his girlfriend a confused look to which she rolled her eyes. "Marinette just spoke to Adrien, _and_ touched him and didn't stammer once. But pretty-boy just got all flustered and now _he's_ stammering."

Nino gave a start and looked back towards his best bud and his other childhood friend. He noted the nervous rubbing Adrien was doing on the back of his neck and the pinkish tinge to his cheeks. Marinette was also blushing but her smile was genuine and showed no signs of her usual panic. _'The hell?'_

The same time Marinette realized her touch on his arm had gone well past proper and pulled away, Adrien managed to pull his gaze away from her bluebell eyes he had become enraptured by.

"So, I uh, photoshoot now gotta go. I mean I gotta go for a photoshoot but I'll see you party later? I mean you'll be at your party later, right? Oh that's stupid, haha. Of course you'll be at your party. It's _your_ party. So…see you there?" Adrien wanted to slap himself in the face at how awkward he was being right then.

Marinette giggled again while Alya and Nino looked on in shock. "I gotcha, Adrien. Yes. I will see you later."

"Right. Right. I uh, I'm gonna go now. See you later!" Adrien started to turn away and nearly crashed into the nearby stair railing. "Whoops! Heh heh." Now shaking his head in embarrassment the model headed out a little more quickly.

Marinette laughed outright, shaking from the scene she just witnessed. It was only when she turned and saw her two friends staring incredulously at her that she stopped. "What?"

* * *

"Seriously gurl, when did you suddenly get so confident around pretty-boy? Scratch that. I _know_ when. Lunchtime. Today. What's going on with you, Mari?" Crossing her arms, Alya looked at her friend with a raised brow.

Currently shuffling through her closet trying to find the right outfit for the night, Marinette did her best to ignore the brunette's inquisitive gaze. She knew that no matter what she said, what story she may have been able to invent quickly, her facial expression would give her away. The only lie she had ever truly been able to get away with, even escaping Alya's scrutiny, had been in hiding the secret of being Paris' spotted heroine.

"I don't have any idea what you are talking about." Not willing to look her friend in the eye, she delved deeper into the closet. "Gah! I have nothing to wear!" Though it was only partly meant to distract the blogger, it was also true. She really had no idea what she would wear to the party. Tossing an article of clothing over her shoulder, she soon picked up speed, sending one after another to form a rapidly growing pile. "Too fancy. Too casual. Too formal. Too slutty. Too-"

"Hold up!"

Pausing in her frantic tossing, Marinette pulled away from the hoard of clothes she was digging through. "What?" Her face soon blanched however when her eyes caught sight of what Alya was holding up.

It was something she had designed one very early morning after waking from a rather _provocative_ dream she had. When morning came and she woke up again to see the design sitting next to her, Marinette had gasped and pulled the sheet from her sketchbook, hiding it deep inside her desk. Unfortunately another such provocative dream had awakened a strong desire to see it made real and once Marinette Dupain-Cheng started sewing a new project, the article _must_ be finished.

She had hoped it would never see the light of day but in her rush to find a perfect outfit she had accidentally revealed it while clearing out her other options. And now her best friend, someone she knew all too well, held it in her hands.

"This. You _have_ to wear this." The look of utter glee on the dark-skinned girl was enough to send a chill down the bluenette's spine.

"No. Oh _hell_ no," she protested, vowing that it would never touch her body in this life or the next.

So of course less than ten minutes later after having suffered through Alya's ridiculous wheedling techniques Marinette found herself dressed in what she described as a 'hand towel with straps.'

Deep red in color, the mini dress she had designed had become a micro during the sewing process. Where it settled barely partway down her thighs it was amazing how it managed to cover her rear at least enough to keep the color of her panties a secret. Spaghetti straps over her shoulders were the only fabric above her bust and the porcelain skin of her chest and neck seemed all the more fetching when contrasted with the rich dark red color. Her cheeks also decided the color fit well as they turned bright red to almost match the hue.

The back was even more embarrassing. Viewing herself in the mirror, she found herself gasping out loud. _'I don't remember it being that deep.'_ Backless the dress showed off more than a fair amount of skin. The deep V cut ended just above the small of her back, tantalizingly close to the top of her ass.

"Oh gurl. You are _HOT,_ with a capital F-I-R-E!" Alya was nearly shaking with excitement. Tonight was the best chance she could think of to finally get at least one of her ships together. "Adrien's going to be drooling all over you, hon. I don't think he'd be able to last five minutes before hauling you off to a room to be 'alone'."

"ALYA!" Marinette blushed even further, the red now spreading along her shoulders and neck. Her friend merely cackled with glee and pulled out her phone to start snapping pictures. "No! No photographic evidence this thing was ever near me!"

"Oh c'mon gurl. You look insane! Hell, if I wasn't with Nino I don't think I'd let you out of this room tonight. And I don't even swing that way."

Marinette giggled before turning back to her mirror to twist around admiring the way it hugged her hips. "It's just…so short."

"All the better to seduce pretty-boy."

A flash of imagination had the young fashion designer watching herself walking through a bar, heading straight for a tall blond man at the end of the counter. He was turned away from her so he could not view her saunter over. She would stand behind him allowing her eyes to roam over his form and slowly lick her lips in anticipation. When it finally became too overwhelming, the hidden seductress in her would reach out, grasp him by the shoulder, and spin him around ready to kiss him into submission.

Instead of Adrien's chiseled face though, once more she looked into the deep green eyes behind a mask as black as midnight. A smug smile graced his lips which steadily came closer and closer to her own.

Her eyes shot open with a loud gasp. Alya chuckled as she watched her friend suddenly turn into a tomato. She had no idea though on what the young woman had envisioned so assumed it was about Adrien and not one half of Paris' superhero duo.

"Now. I'm willing to bet that the 'rents aren't going to be too happy about their _little girl_ heading out showing so much skin, so let's see what we can hide that sexy number under until we get out to my car."

* * *

When Alya dragged open the wooden door and the pair entered, Marinette felt immediately overdressed. Or _underdressed_ as the case may be. She tugged the micro-dress down as much as she could, still a bit peeved at how she let Alya talk her into such an outrageous outfit. Only the fact that her best friend was dressed just as provocatively kept her from burning up in embarrassment. Trying to ignore the fact she was showing off more leg than she had ever imagined outside of a pool, she forced herself to keep a blush off her cheeks something she was only mildly succeeding at.

The tavern was about what Marinette was expecting. A few old-fashioned wooden tables stood scattered throughout the room while a long bar top hugged the near right wall. She would say it was rather cozy with all of her friends crowded in. Except that wasn't the case as the room was completely devoid of life save for one lone customer half asleep at the bar.

"Uhhh…where is everyone?" She couldn't hide the disappointment in her tone. It was already ten minutes past when the party would have started and not a single friend or classmate could be seen.

Alya gave her friend a smirk before grasping her hand and pulling her along past the bar until they reached the flip-top counter. Alya flashed the bartender a two-fingered salute receiving an eye-roll in return before the counter was raised and the brunette hauled her friend through the new opening.

"Alya, where are we going?"

"Hush. It's right down here." The duo reached a staircase near the back of the building. It looked strangely foreboding to Marinette but she trusted her friend to not lead her to something that might end with her kidneys being removed. The bottom of the stairs did not give her anymore answers than she had to begin with. A metal door, rather ordinary and unassuming, was all that she could see.

"Ready?"

"Uhh…for what?"

Alya snickered before reaching out to the door and giving a few quick raps against the metal. The door creaked open and Marinette's jaw dropped.

"Welcome to Le Mirage, Mari."


	5. Story update and discontinuation

**Hello readers. I'm about to anger some of you and sadden others, and probably have a few going 'meh.'**

 **I am discontinuing this story.**

 **I told myself I would never do this to a story that I started. That I would finish it no matter what. But I have to break that promise to myself this time.**

 **I could go for a 10,000 word rant on why but my main reason is very simple: I just don't feel it. I can't do it the justice I want with the limited time and drive I currently have.**

 **I will be leaving this announcement up for a few days and then deleting the whole story. I'll stick to shorter one-shots for the MLB fandom.**

 **I'm thrilled that you all enjoyed the story as much as you did and I wish I could have continued to share my _tail_ (do you get it?!) with you.**

 **Thanks,**

 **-Trixx**

 **(p.s. if you want a quick rundown of the plot for closure PM me)**


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